


tested with torment

by merlinemrys (divineauthor)



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Merlin (Merlin), BAMF Morgana (Merlin), Battle Scenes, Drabble, Elemental Magic, Gen, Magic Revealed, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Powerful Merlin, Powerful Morgana, Protective Merlin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:15:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23810671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/divineauthor/pseuds/merlinemrys
Summary: Merlin falls down easily on one knee, his head bowed as a sword almost pierces the soft skin of his neck. He places a hand on the ground and closes his eyes. The Earth sings underneath his hold, a low hum that fills his senses. Tendrils of magic race up his arm and he can feel the gold spilling out from his eyes.Morgana is a distant worry when he becomes one with the world.—•—Merlin and Morgana fight.
Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 41
Kudos: 520





	tested with torment

**Author's Note:**

> i was sad that the magic battles in merlin are just... so lackluster. they just yeet each other around !! like what’s up with that !! so i wrote a battle scene 
> 
> title from: zayn’s “insomnia”

Merlin falls down easily on one knee, his head bowed as a sword almost pierces the soft skin of his neck. He places a hand on the ground and closes his eyes. The Earth sings underneath his hold, a low hum that fills his senses. Tendrils of magic race up his arm and he can feel the gold spilling out from his eyes. 

Morgana is a distant worry when he becomes one with the world.

“Nothing left to say, Merlin,” she mocks. “Can’t even bear to look me in the eyes? I always knew you were a coward.” She lifts the sword from his neck and sneers. “Goodbye, Merlin.”

Morgana gets ready to swing, but Merlin lifts his head and thinks to the dirt, _Grab her_. The ground does his bidding, forming a hand that distinctly looks like his. Morgana chokes, the sword falling from her grasp. Her eyes glow a dull yellow as she tries to free herself from Earth’s hold. 

The battle quietens down around them. 

“You—” she says, eyes wide. Then she spits, rage burning in her gaze, “ _You_ have magic.”

Merlin grimaces, holding out a hand to bring her closer. “I _am_ magic.” 

She laughs bitterly and just says, “Emrys.” 

One word. One title. One name. 

His destiny. Her doom. 

Morgana lets out a guttural cry and the sky splits open, pouring a storm over them. The dirt slides away from her, his grasp weakening. She crackles with energy, lightning spilling out from her fingertips. Her lips turn up into a snarl. She was lethal in this primal beauty. He can almost mistake her for a goddess. 

Merlin lifts his chin up to the sky, his eyes squinting from the assault of the storm. He yells out a spell, making the rain stop. Morgana doesn’t give him a moment to spare, sending a bolt of lightning his way. He grits his teeth and forms a wall from the slick mud beneath his feet to counter it. The force of it pushes him back.

“I’ll destroy you,” she says, her eyes wild but calculating. Watching his every move. 

_I’m sorry I destroyed you first_ , he thinks before he flicks away his makeshift wall like a gnat. His guilt over Morgana was always buried in his chest, an old ache, but she’s too far gone now. 

Magic thrums through his veins. It’s alive under his skin, bubbling happy as he finally removes the barrier he had set years ago to keep everyone safe. Merlin breathes out as the wall within himself collapses, a burst of golden particles floating through the air. 

He wipes the wet locks of hair from his face, stands taller, back straightening. His senses are opening up ten-fold, making him aware of things he couldn’t before. The steady vibration underneath his feet, the stillness of the wind — distantly, he can feel Arthur’s soul behind him, steady as the mountains, unruly as the sea. But he can’t think of Arthur’s reaction to his magic. Not here. Not now. 

Morgana looks at him with a keen eye. “They say you’re the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the Earth.”

“Warlock,” he corrects. Morgana’s jaw tightens. 

“I will not be defeated by _you_ ,” she hisses, then their battle begins again. 

In a second, Morgana outstretches her hand, sending her own army’s swords towards him. Merlin doesn’t even flinch, doesn’t move. His eyes flare gold and they stop in mid-air. He doesn’t want to take any precautions, so his gaze burns brighter until the metal melts away, dripping like a god’s blood onto the ground, mixing in with the mud the storm left.

Arthur won’t attack the enemy if they’re defenceless, not unless they are about to hurt him and his people regardless. 

Morgana doesn’t stop moving though, sending balls of fire his way, her aim off the more desperate she gets. He dodges them physically, too spread out trying to dispel the fire before it reaches Arthur and the rest of Camelot’s army. He tells the others, “Get back!”

If Arthur is mad at him, Merlin can’t tell. But Arthur orders his men to fall back and Merlin feels a sense of relief fill his body. He still listened, even if Merlin is a magic user. 

Merlin has never erected a ward of magic before, but he’s read about it. He wipes a bead of sweat from his forehead and incants a spell, creating fire from his hands. It grows and grows until it resembles a dragon, and he thrusts his hands out, yelling. 

He turns around quickly while Morgana’s busy trying to dodge the moving flame, almost sentient the way he created it. His gaze catches Arthur’s. Merlin’s eyes probably haven’t stopped blazing gold, burning like the sun, for so long. He raises his hands again, towards Arthur. It’s a surprise that Arthur doesn’t flinch, while some of his men do. 

_Do it_ , Arthur seems to say with his eyes. 

Merlin nods, a sharp movement, then begins chanting. As the words leave his lips, a blue, almost transparent film, seems to cover Arthur and his knights. A barrier between them and the magic sparking off from Morgana’s fury. 

They’re safe for now. 

Merlin turns his back just as Morgana vanquishes the fire dragon of his making. She pants, her arm trembling. He can relate. The wards hold strong, but he has never done a spell like that before and it weakened him. They’re both tired. Fatigued. 

Morgana tries to copy his first attack, commanding the ground to capture him. It doesn’t hold the same effect, the Earth thinks of him as kin just as the sky does. But her powers are strong even as she’s exhausted. The mud slowly crawls up his legs, encasing him and Merlin has a split second to think. 

Merlin feels the air around Morgana and _pulls_ , leaving her choking, gasping. The dull ache in his chest returned like a new wound. She collapsed on the ground, clutching at her neck much like she did when he shoved hemlock down her throat. His jaw clenches as the dirt falls away. He releases his hold on the air as he walks towards Morgana. She’s still struggling to gain her breath when he kneels down in front of her. 

Her green eyes are lined with furious tears. 

“I’m sorry,” Merlin can’t help but say. 

Morgana doesn’t answer him. She pushes him aside and, in a flash, transports herself away in a whirlwind, leaving him on the ground surrounded by Arthur, his friends, his enemies. Merlin lets his wards drop, watching as Morgana’s army run away, useless without their leader.

He sits back on his heels, covers his eyes, and cries.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed !!!! find me on [tumblr](http://merlinemrys.tumblr.com/) :D & if you want to, you can also read the [alternate ending](https://merlinemrys.tumblr.com/post/631810144920043520/tested-with-torment-an-alternate-endingsummary) that i wrote to this fic !!!


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